Purpose:The project website states that “the Memorial Tree Groves Project will pay lasting tribute to the tragic events of September 11, 2001 with one central and eight ward-based neighborhood memorial tree groves." This is one of the eight neighborhood groves that will be created both to remember September 11 and to celebrate the community that surrounds it. Reason site was selected: Penn Branch Gateway was selected as the official Ward 7 grove by the steering committee of the citywide project because of an exceptional RFP application. Barry Goodinson, Director of GreenSpaces for DC noted that this is an interesting site with views of the Washington monument over the tree tops, and an opporutnity to create more usable open space in a fairly urban neighborhood. The site is on a severe slope, topped by a retaining wall, and it is currently not very usable park space, despite some tending and gardening of the areas directly behind private homes. But more convincing than the site, Goodison said, was the Friends of Penn Branch's "gritty determination to make this neighborhood a home, to take it back and be a community." The group kept repeating that they "want to own this site," and Goodinson hopes that his organization and this project can help them to do that. Events planned for site: Goodinson is planning for a community organizer who can help work with all of the pending satellite groves. All the sites are currently being surveyed to create base maps for initial site analysis and design concepts. Eventually, as the projects grow, there will be participatory design meetings, community plantings, dedications, and possibly ongoing events. The project remains to be shaped by the local stewards in concert with GreenSpaces and the parks department.